Hudson Valley News

Some state and local officials today assailed the Poughkeepsie common council’s discussion of a safe storage gun law. They say Second Amendment rights are at risk and are threatening to sue to stop any such ordinance. Meanwhile, the common council member who raised the issue says opponents are blowing the matter out of proportion.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino is proposing once again that an outside operator take over the management of 87-year-old Playland, the largest government-run amusement park in the country.

Astorino said at a boardwalk news conference the deal would mean taxpayers would escape millions of dollars of annual losses. Under the tentative 15-year deal, Standard Amusements would invest nearly $23 million in the park in Rye.

Dutchess County legislators are going to vote Monday night on a resolution asking the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to conduct a study of the potential impacts of a crude oil spill in or near the Hudson River.

The matter of a temporary restraining order concerning the planned demolition of a portion of the Orange County government center came before a judge Friday.

Attorney Michael Sussman had asked for a temporary restraining order to prevent demolition work on the architecturally significant government center until a lawsuit he filed in March is decided. Though the judge did not issue such an order, Sussman called the day in court successful as the county will not start any demolition before July 1.

Spring is attempting a full-on arrival. Flowers stems are pushing through the earth and April showers, even if they have been mixing with snow in parts, are frequent. Another sign of spring is birdsong.